Here Are the Popular Shooting Locations of Doramas/Movies in Tokyo

Anybody love watching dorama(=Japanese drama)?

To be honest, it is not my hobby. Although there are 1-2 doramas that I regularly watch, actually I like reading comics more than watching. But as the risk of my job, sometimes (either I like it or not) I have to watch dorama (or anime) at least one in a month, even just for one dorama adapted from the manga that I am reviewing.

Talking about dorama, besides the plot and actor factors, one thing that I like the most is the setting. Either it is because of the “atmosphere that is different than daily atmosphere”, or simply because the locations are indeed pleasant to watch, I always love the location setting on doramas.

Sometimes I would like to find out, where are the popular locations to use as dorama shooting locations? And that desire came back on my mind after I accidentally watch Resident Evil: Retribution, where one of the setting was located on Shibuya Crossing.

My curiousity of popular locations for dorama or movie shootings in Tokyo finally rises, so here I collect several locations ever shown on some doramas that I watched. Here are the some of the most popular dorama/movie shooting locations in Tokyo, who knows maybe it could inspire the itinerary for all the dorama lovers who plan to travel to Tokyo..

Notes:This location is one of the favorite setting for western movies that takes the setting in Tokyo. The list of non-Japanese movies are just a fews of western movies that takes Shibuya Crossing as their background setting. Not far from this crossing, there is another popular shooting location, the statue of Hachiko.

Tokyo Tower

Address:4-2-8 Shiba-Koen, Minato, Tokyo 105-0011

Access:-5 minutes of walking from Akabanebashi Gate in Akabanebashi Station (Metropolitan Subway Oedo Line);
-6 minutes of walking from Exit no A1 in Onarimon Station (Metropolitan Subway Mita Line);
-7 minutes of walking from Exit no 1 in Kamiyacho Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line);
-10 minutes of walking from Exit A6 in Daimon Station (Metropolitan Subway Asakusa Line);
-15 minutes of walking from North Exit in Hamamatsucho Station.

Notes:This symbol of Tokyo is definitely one of the favorite shooting locations. Countless movies and doramas have taken this red tower as their background setting. Even I first knew about this Tokyo Tower from a dorama shown on a TV here. Unfortunately I forgot the title.. >_< And as the movie Wolverine, one of the setting is located on Zojoyi Temple which is not far from Tokyo Tower.

Notes:Anybody loves the movie Meteor Garden? The Japanese version of Meteor Garden is Hana Yori Dango, which was adapted from a manga with the same title. The main character of that dorama, Domyouji Tsukasa (Jun Matsumoto) and Makino Tsukushi (Mao Inoue) were to have a date on a zoo (in Meteor Garden, it was called as “peasant date”). Well, that dating location was Ueno Zoo located on Ueno Park.

Notes:One of the famous scenes with this location as background setting is when Domyouji Tsukasa (acted by Jun Matsumoto) was waiting for Makino Tsukushi (Mao Inouefor their first date on the dorama Hana Yori Dango (2005). Precisely it was on Clock Tower Square. This location was also the setting for the movie version of Hana Yori Dango (2008), which was the wedding location of Domyouji Tsukasa and Makino Tsukushi.

Notes:This sculpture was made by an American artist named Robert Indiana, which then became a favorite meeting point. One of the scene on the dorama Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO) took this sculpture as the setting when Eikichi Onizuka (acted by Takashi Sorimachi) was waiting one of his students who deceived him.

Notes:This park is known as the park with plenty public facilities, starting from children playground, baseball court, museum, etc. Popular spot for shooting at this park is the pedestrian pathway towards the big fountain.

Fuchu no mori [photo by: wikimedia commons]Fuchu no mori [photo by: wikimedia commons]There are many other popular shooting spots in Tokyo, either for those which really did the shooting on the real location, or those which were just created by visual effects to emerge the atmosphere of that place. Here is a short list of other popular spots that often used on many dorama/movie: